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Key Findings: Maternal Fever During Early Pregnancy May Be Linked to Birth Defects

A study from the Slone Epidemiology Center at Boston University, in collaboration with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), found thatwomen who reported having a fever before or during early pregnancy were more likely to have a baby with a neural tube defectcompared to women who did not report having a fever. However, women who reported having a fever before or during early pregnancy, but who were consuming 400 micrograms (mcg) of folic acid every day, did not have this increased risk for having a baby born with a neural tube defect.

Consuming 400 mcg of folic acid daily, before and during early pregnancy, can help lower the risk of neural tube defects.

About This Study

Researchers used data from the Slone Epidemiology Center Birth Defects Study, which collected information on pregnancies affected by birth defects and babies born without birth defects in order to study what might cause or prevent birth defects.

About Birth Defects

Birth defects are common, costly, and critical conditions that affect 1 in every 33 babies born in the United States each year. Birth defects are structural changes present at birth that can affect almost any part or parts of the body (such as the heart, brain, face, arms, and legs). They may affect how the body looks, works, or both.

Our Work

CDC’s National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities (NCBDDD) saves babies by preventing birth defects. NCBDDD identifies causes of birth defects, finds opportunities to prevent them, and improves the health of those living with birth defects. Learn how NCBDDD makes a difference by visiting https://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/aboutus/saving-babies/index.html.